Indoor and outdoor rabbits?

[blue_lop_love272]

I keep my 2 mini lops inside 24/7 at the moment, but Dad wants me to keep them outside during the day so they can eat the fresh grass, but I am wondering what I'll have to do as I'm in VIC Australia and there are wild rabbits around, what kind of hutch should I keep them in and what could the wild rabbits give to my rabbits in the way of diseases? Thanks.

 

[Bri Was Here]

The Wild Rabbits can give your rabbits a disease so you would want to get them vaccinated. I would also invest in a flea comb. Oh and look out for ticks!
I leave my netherland dwarfs out for a couple hours in a plastic fence kind of like what a baby fence is made out of . But I am out there with them in case they try to make a run for it.(I use to let them run in a XL dog cage that was wire and 2 times they got out.)
For a hutch it depends on what the weather is like if its rainy I would diffidently have a room that is completely boxed in (if you have more then one bun out there maybe have like 2 boxed in rooms so they don't have to be together) also all of the hutches need a roof. I would have it at least a foot (30cm) off the ground so your rabbit has a shady spot to graze or relax. I would also make a door to open each room you make a front opening for the rabbits to jump in with a ramp and the top opening up for convenience.

I hope some of this could help you some :happybunny:

 

[Minerva]

As I recall myxomatosis was introduced into the wild invasive rabbit population in Australia in an attempt to bring down the numbers. They are afraid that a vaccine will cause immunity in the wild population and numbers will explode, so rabbit owners are not allowed to vaccinate their pets. If you let your rabbits outside they could be bitten by mosquitoes carrying the disease and die from it. I believe some people in Australia get special netting for pens that keeps mosquitoes out, but since you would be moving them back and forth and they would be exposed on the way in and out I think I would just leave them indoors to be safe.

Not that mosquitoes can't get inside of course, but they would be most sheltered that way. Even though you guys are heading into winter I don't think I'd want to risk it.

 

[curiouscarrot]

Yes, any run or hutch should be flywired. Not only for the mozzies but we have a lot of flies.

 

[sparkly]

if you mosquito proof your hutch, and stick to business hours outside, the mosquitoes (are out in the early morning and dusk, usually only in hottish weather) they should be fine. bunnies love it outside.

 

[Blue eyes]

I keep my 2 mini lops inside 24/7 at the moment, but Dad wants me to keep them outside during the day so they can eat the fresh grass, but I am wondering what I'll have to do as I'm in VIC Australia and there are wild rabbits around, what kind of hutch should I keep them in and what could the wild rabbits give to my rabbits in the way of diseases? Thanks.

Hmmm... they really don't NEED the fresh grass. It sounds like any benefits they MAY get from being outside is far outweighed be the dangers of allowing them outside.
I assume you feed them hay. As long as they are getting hay, healthy pellets and greens, they don't NEED to go outside.
Mine are indoor rabbits. It's very, very rare they go outside (we live in the desert) but when they are outside, I make sure to keep them OFF the grass so they don't get any nasties. I only allow them on a porch.

 

[Azerane]

If you are going to have them outside unsupervised for a while, you need to have a run that has mesh on both the bottom and the top, that way they can't dig or jump out and nothing can jump in to eat them. You will also want a solid, secured part that they can hide in or snuggle in if they get scared. Also consider that it will either need to be in the shade, or you will need something to cover it to protect from the sun and the rain, rabbits overheat very easily outdoors in summer.

As for the wild rabbits and diseases, there are two that you need to worry about, myxomatosis and calicivirus. Unfortunately, only calicivirus can be vaccinated for in Australia and must be done annually. Both are mosquito born diseases so even if you vaccinate for one, I would still strongly advise securing flyscreen to the outside of any hutch or run you get for outdoors, especially since you say you have wild rabbits present, where therefore the risk is greater.